Assistant Buyer - Selfridges Rental - 12 Month FTC

Job Introduction

Are you looking for a new challenge that gives you the chance to get creative and use your knowledge of the business to take our Selfridges Rental offering to the next level? Looking for a company that wants to help further your career, as well as provide you with an exciting, inspiring and fun place to work?  

If the answer to all of these questions is ‘yes’ then you’re just the kind of person we’re looking for! 

A bit about the role

As an Assistant Buyer, you will be responsible for Selfridges Rental, working closely with our Menswear, Womenswear, and Accessories buying teams, as well as collaboratively with HURR Collective, our rental partner. You will support the buying managers in sourcing brands and product, to ensure our rental offering is in keeping with existing trends. You will  work with the Buyer/Head of Buying to negotiate the best terms for the business with suppliers. To ensure the ordering process is efficient and compliant with Selfridges processes and to assist the Buying Admin team where necessary.

As part of this, you will:

• Be responsible for product selections and range planning for Selfridgesrental.com – ensuring thorough knowledge of product and market
• Negotiate the best possible product and capsules with key brands to ensure the product offer remains relevant and press worthy
• Work with the Buying Managers and Head of Buying to ensure that product selection decisions are based on a sound commercial framework to drive sales
• Work closely with the Buying Managers/Head of Buying and Merchandise Managers to plan the OTB for rental and to monitor and review in season, making recommendations to the Buyer/Head of Buying where necessary.
• Work with the HURR to analyse performance, making recommendations to the Buyer/Head of Buying i.e. to keep or discontinue certain styles within Selfridges Rental
• Work with the Assistant Merchandisers, Allocators and DC to ensure a smooth process between Selfridges and HURR DC for stock transfers and on the return on rental stock at the end of its rental lifespan
• Represent the buying team in workstreams around Selfridgesrental.com Editorial content / assets / marketing emails
• Work closely with Marketing and PR and to be aware of key product stories; such as collaborations, capsules and calendar events
• Build a strong relationship with the Selfridges social team to ensure Selfridgesrental.com is consistently featured
• Work with the Editorial team to ensure the Selfridges Rental site is refreshed with new and relevant imagery and content
• Carry out research into key trends and put together product suggestions
• Analysing rental data and amending the range as required
• Loading data in to a Buypad for each item that is added to the rental range and liaising with the photo studio and copy teams to collate these assets and data in to a template to share with HURR
• Liaising with the Merchandising team DC and HURR team for each transfer of stock sent from Selfridges to HURR
• Pitch to and negotiate with brands ideas around exclusive capsule collections for rental, samples, archive pieces etc.
• Work towards a 52 week calendar of rental launches and key stories
• Onboard new brands and partners under the Selfridges Rental umbrella, such as Concession partners and Vintage/Re-sell Partners
• Host weekly Steering Meetings between HURR and Selfridges
• Secure an annual marketing contribution from brands to support Selfridges Rental launches

A bit about you

• Highly knowledgeable. You will have a well-developed understanding of the product/market​, as well as our Rental business
• Strategic and operational. With strong analytical skills and experience driving long-term and profitable commercial strategies, you’ll be able to successfully manage projects through to completion. ​
• Engaging. Able to influence your stakeholders, retail and brands, you know how to use both data and market trends to drive commercial opportunities ​
• Customer focused. Combined with exceptional taste and instinct, you are able to push the boundaries to offer new and exciting product​
• All over the numbers. You are numerate with a highly commercial approach, as well as proficient in excel​
• Collaborative. Working flexibly as part of the wider Buying team you will support in projects and cross functional meetings as appropriate
• Organised with attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to influence​
• An example of our values, a trusted and respected colleague

A bit about us

Our Creative Spirit 

We are more than a shop. We are a social space where culture and commerce collide to release an energy that we call the Selfridges spirit. We are here to make our world brighter, and everyone is welcome. 

Our Awards Cabinet 

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign.  

Our Future 

Since 1909 we have been at the forefront of retail and today our stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham – alongside selfridges.com and the Selfridges App – continue to redefine the way we shop and socialise. As a Selfridges team member, you will learn what it takes to consistently drive innovation, success and amazing customer experiences. 

Everyone is welcome

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive working culture, and we see this as key to our success and our working culture. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome - irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all. We are diverse, we are inclusive, we are Selfridges.

The Fun Stuff  

There are lots of reasons to be excited about joining Team Selfridges – from our fantastic team member communities to volunteer days and behind-the-scenes Selfridges experiences throughout the year. 

Other benefits and rewards include:

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme 
• Discounted gym memberships 
• Pension contributions  
• Annual travel pass and cycle to work schemes 
• A volunteer day for all team members 
• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development